1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vision regeneration assisting apparatus for regenerating vision of a patient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vision regeneration assisting apparatuses for regenerating lost vision of a blind patient by applying electrical stimulation (electrical stimulation pulse signal) to the cells forming the retina from an electrode placed in the body (eye) of the blind patient have been proposed. Such apparatuses have an extracorporeal device including an image pickup unit and an intracorporeal device including a stimulation unit provided with a multiple of electrodes disposed on a substrate.
In such apparatuses, various units are provided in the intracorporeal device for outputting the electrical stimulation pulse signal from the electrodes based on electrical stimulation pulse signal data from the extracorporeal device. Since it is preferable to reduce the size and the number of units to be directly placed in the eye of the patient, the units are separately placed at positions distant from one another in the body and electrically connected with one another by a conductor coated with a resin excellent in (having) biocompatibility and insulation property.
However, since the intracorporeal device is placed in the body for a long time, there is a fear that the conductor is exposed to and wetted by the bodily fluid to exert adverse influence on the living body.